NEW YORK NYU MEDICAL CENTER located at 550 1st Ave, in Manhattan has stopped a decade’s old practice of letting Satmar Bikur Cholim visit by professional volunteers and their ability to serve and offer basic social services to patients and their families. In a sudden change of policy, the NYU Hospital administration didn’t notify any volunteer organization professionals that they will not be allowed to give food to patients or advocate on behalf of any patients. The new policies have seriously effected urgent services the organization provides.

There have also been allegations of mistreatment by NYU hospital towards patients.

Is NYU hospital taking revenge on Bikur Cholim for their patient advocacy and proven track record of saving lives through their advocacy? GifterInGotham spoke to a few patients at NYU hospital and other local hospitals and was told this is more than just a food issue.

Patients stated the work that Bikur Cholim and other organizations do for patients is so important that there must be intervention from community leaders to not let this go unnoticed. One patient said, “it might sound extreme but people will die without the Bikur Cholim type of advocacy.” Some advocates maintain Obama care is part of the problem by putting a tremendous strain on hospitals looking at patients as a profit vs non-profit and mention elderly patients are not worth saving by NYU standards and other hospitals.

Why is Bikur Cholim important?
People need to feel connected to the community especially when they are ill or homebound.
Bringing the community to the bedside lifts the spirit of those who may feel forgotten.
Studies have shown that social contact and support positively influences those needing and receiving comfort.
Visiting and caring activities help build community and character.
Kosher food helps the patients eat in a timely manner. Patients rely on the Bikur Cholim food and tend to skip meals if they do not get their packages. Nutrition issues crop up when patients skip meals or do not eat an entire day.
Advocacy on behalf of patients and family members.
These are just some examples of the incredible work that Bikur Cholim volunteers do on a weekly basis. After 60 years with minimal issues, the Jewish community has every right to get a detailed explanation as to why Bikur Cholim is not allowed to continue their amazing services.

For the past few decades, the Satmar Bikur Cholim led by the late Mrs. Miriyam Lubling has serviced the patients of NYU MEDICAL CENTER with the highest level of professionalism. All the volunteers are highly trained and certified to provide patients with support and attending to the families emotional and personal needs.

The food commissary run by the Bikur Cholim is certified by the NY State and NYC Dept of Health and is built with the highest quality to meet the strictest of hygiene and cleanliness, standards. Satmar Ladies Bikur Cholim founded before WWll and brought over with the refugees to the USA and has been servicing the sick and needy in NYC ever since its inception. From Medical referrals to respected institutions and Physicians the tireless volunteers of Satmar Ladies Bikur Cholim do not sleep! They deliver food daily by families request to hospitals where there is a need. They cover a void the hospital cannot cover because of culture and special requests.

GifterInGotham reached out to Bikur Cholim for comment on the controversy and was told, “The situation has now reached a crisis point where a total disregard for any cooperation and total disregard for a long relationship between the Bikur Cholim and NYU has been placing families and patients in danger. This action taken by NYU came without any communications and discussion with BikurCholim.”

“We ask the respected Dean Grossman of NYU hospital to speak to Dr. Andrew Brotman and see why he is disrespecting 60 plus years of the tradition of giving towards others and why disrespect NYU patients that are asking for their special requests to be covered? Please allow the Bikur Cholim to continue their mission.”

Calls to the hospital for comment have been ignored. Bikur Cholim says they have been trying to get an official explanation from NYU hospital for two months and have not received any response other than they will look into the matter which was a few weeks ago.

Bikur Cholim asks New York City residents to please contact Dean Robert I Grossman Of NYU and show your dissatisfaction with the status quo.

This is beyond horrible. Please suggest a.m alternative for patients. DH is having surgery shortly. It is already scheduled. I am sick and not allowed to lift anything. We were counting on bikur cholim.

This is beyond horrible. Please suggest a.m alternative for patients. DH is having surgery shortly. It is already scheduled. I am sick and not allowed to lift anything. We were counting on bikur cholim.

Can they come by request. I am so scared.

There is still a bikur cholim room

But they aren't allowing bikur cholim people to deliver meals. If the patient cannot go to the bikur cholim room, another volunteer will go for him.

They aren't allowing volunteers unsupervised access to patients' rooms anymore. That appears to be the only change. The hospital won't be able to say exactly what happened because of privacy laws but it's clear that volunteers and medical professionals were not seeing eye to eye on what was happening when volunteers were entering patients' rooms. Maybe the hospital is overreacting to a service they aren't in control of, maybe some volunteers were seriously overstepping their bounds. Maybe a little of both.

They are letting others volunteer, but not Satmar? Does this reek of discrimination?

Is the food in tamper proof seals?

Dunno.

The other volunteers are associated with the hospital, not outside organizations.

There was a suggestion that the issue related to recommendation of procedures that hospitals don't recommend (eg, intubating terminal patients). My guess (and its just a guess) is that's not it. That some patients complained about them coming in, assuming that they're Jewish (or that they cared about Shabbat or kashrut).

As far as I remember, When I was in NYU - in the children’s ward- a couple of months back. They weren’t allowed to come in. They called me when they were there and I met them by the elevators. Does that still work?

As far as I remember, When I was in NYU - in the children’s ward- a couple of months back. They weren’t allowed to come in. They called me when they were there and I met them by the elevators. Does that still work?

We were in the nicu/picu for a few months there & also had to meet them outside all the time as only parents or approved visitors were allowed to come into the ward.
since this whole thing started they are not allowed on any floor.
its really ridiculous. I can't imagine volunteers having overstepped boundaries. that doesn't make sense. they come in and say refuah sheleima. seriously, I'm in a different hospital atm & volunteer came by with food before, sweetly gave me package, wished us r'fsh & gut shabbos and left.

We were in the nicu/picu for a few months there & also had to meet them outside all the time as only parents or approved visitors were allowed to come into the ward.
since this whole thing started they are not allowed on any floor.
its really ridiculous. I can't imagine volunteers having overstepped boundaries. that doesn't make sense. they come in and say refuah sheleima. seriously, I'm in a different hospital atm & volunteer came by with food before, sweetly gave me package, wished us r'fsh & gut shabbos and left.

I can't either imagine that they overstep boundaries, but one issue I'm aware of is that some people prefer to keep their hospitalization a secret. When members of a community organization stop by to offer their assistance, the patient's secret is very often exposed.

I can't either imagine that they overstep boundaries, but one issue I'm aware of is that some people prefer to keep their hospitalization a secret. When members of a community organization stop by to offer their assistance, the patient's secret is very often exposed.

Exactly! It's a big problem! I hope will be resolved. They are working on a form the patient will have to sign if they allow volunteers to come by. There is also an issue with volunteers coming outside of visiting hours. Hopefully this will be resolved.

Why do people need bikur cholim to bring food? There are kosher meals available at the hospital.

I was at NYU with a family member for almost a week. I was not served any meals as I was not the patient. I’m extremely appreciative to Satmar Bikur Cholim , that is the only way that I ate for 5 or 6 days .

I was in a Cornell after birth and other procedures and their meals kept me going. Hospital food is pretty paltry to begin with and some taste much like airplane meals. Their lunches, suppers and snacks were a lifesaver

I was at NYU with a family member for almost a week. I was not served any meals as I was not the patient. I’m extremely appreciative to Satmar Bikur Cholim , that is the only way that I ate for 5 or 6 days .

Same experience at Columbia. It was a lifesaver when our baby was in the hospital.

Why do people need bikur cholim to bring food? There are kosher meals available at the hospital.

[quote]

The food that the hospital provides, is beyond editable. What a relief it is to get a fresh, delicious, homemade food daily. May we never know the pain of being in the hospital for an extended period of time without any normal food. Bikur Cholim is a god send organization for those in need. Hopefully it will be resolved in the very near future, for there are sadly many that depend on it.